Game 55: Florida Panthers (29-24-3) at Tampa Bay Lightning (36-14-4)

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Benchmark International Arena, Where the Panthers have suffered 40 regular season losses

TV/Stream/Radio: Hulu, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App (audio only)

Odds: Lightning

Know the Opponents: Litter Box Cats

No need to get too in depth with this preview, right? We all know how these games go. The teams play pretty fun hockey until a hit or a post-whistle scrum goes a little too far. Then all hell breaks out for the the rest of the game.

Three times these teams have matched up this season and the Lightning have taken 40 penalties while drawing 34. There have been 17 goals between the two teams with Tampa Bay netting 9 of them. Most importantly, the Lightning have won 2 of the previous 3 meetings.

While we will never count the Panthers out until they are officially eliminated, their hopes for another Stanley Cup run are getting longer as the season gets shorter. Even with their shootout win over Boston last night they are 8 points behind the Bruins for the second Wild Card spot. Even worse for them, there are still three teams between them and that spot. Oh look, a three-game winning streak for the Maple Leafs have them back in the race. Cool.

This game is definitely more important for them than for the Lightning, who will go into the Olympic Break atop the Atlantic Division no matter what the outcome of the game may be. Still, going into a two-week break with a win is always nicer than going in with a loss.

Don’t expect any of the injured Lightning players to return tonight, so it will be another make-shift line-up down the middle of the ice. The Bolts were able to rely on their power play to get them to overtime against Buffalo, and if Florida does what they normally do (and the officials notice) the Bolts special teams could be a big factor.

Last time out, it was the Bolts penalty kill that was the star of the game, killing off 9 of 10 chances against them. Will it get to that point again? You can never tell with these two teams, but neither coach wants to see 136 combined penalty minutes, especially with a host of players expecting to play for their countries in a few days.

The game is too important for the Panthers, and the two teams have too much of a mutual dislike for each other, for it to be a glorified scrimmage, so fans should be in for a treat. Hopefully, everyone makes it out in one piece.

Potential Lines

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards:

Brandon HagelJake GuentzelNikita KucherovOliver BjorkstrandDominic JamesGage GoncalvesZemgus GirgensonsYanni GourdePontus HolmbergCurtis DouglasJack FinleyScott Sabourin

Defense:

J.J. MoserDarren RaddyshRyan McDonaghErik CernakVictor HedmanDeclan Carlile

Goaltenders:

Andrei VasilevskiyJonas Johansson

Florida Panthers

Forwards:

Carter VerhaegheAnton LundellSam ReinhartEetu LuostarinenSam BennettMatthew TkachukA.J. GreerEvan RodriguesBrad MarchandSandis VilmanisCole SchwindtMackie Samoskevich

Defense:

Gustav ForslingAaron EkbladNiko MikkolaUvis BalinskisTobias BjornfotJeff Petry

Goaltenders:

Daniil TarasovSergei Bobrovsky